Citation

Palamar JJ, Goldberger BA. Ann. Intern Med. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, American College of Physicians)

DOI

10.7326/M23-2299

PMID

37812778

Abstract

Xylazine has become a new addition to the quickly evolving drug landscape in the United States. Just as momentum was gained in testing for fentanyl and other new psychoactive substances and the availability of naloxone to treat fentanyl overdoses increased, fentanyl adulterated with xylazine, a legal veterinary tranquilizer, is now further complicating the opioid crisis. Although it appears that xylazine on its own rarely causes death (1, 2), exposure to xylazine mixed into illicitly manufactured fentanyl has been associated with prolonged sedation (not reversible with naloxone) and a steep increase in deaths (1-3). A new narrative review by D'Orazio and...

Language: en